Fuffles (A Willow and Tara short)
by NovaleeNation
Summary: Willow is missing her best friend. Tara is there for her. A short moment between Willow and Tara shortly after the Season 5 finale.


(All character belong to ME and Joss.)

The sky was blue as a baby's blanket but all Willow could see was gray. A world without Buffy was a colorless world to her. Buffy, who had given her life purpose. Buffy, who had shown her that she was capable of being so much more than a shy computer nerd. Buffy, who selflessly protected the world and lost her life in return. Buffy was everything. A lover to some. A Hero to others. A daughter. A sister. But most importantly, she was a best friend. Her best friend. And she was gone. Willow walked slowly up the stairs of the Summers house, ending up in Buffy's room. She remembered the sleepovers her, Xander and Buffy used to have there. Those Bollywood movies were unbelievably zany, made even more fun by the comments they all made. Whenever the movies would end, Buffy would always say how they needed to take a group trip to India. Sometimes when Willow went to sleep at night, she dreamed about those trips that would never be. How much fun they would've been if things had turned out differently. Willow buried her face in the mountain of pillows to envelope herself in complete darkness, shut her eyes and cried until she had a headache. _Maybe the temporary pain will side-track me from my dull existence_.

She heard quiet footsteps and a creak as someone sat on the bed. Willow opened her eyes and turned her head a little, so that her nose was the only part of her face exposed. She was met with the scent of rosemary and clean linen. _Tara._ Willow closed her eyes again, as Tara laid her hand on Willow's soft hair. Gently, she trailed her hand down to her back. As her hand moved, Willow could feel her grief subside, melting away little by little at Tara's magic touch. Tara began to trace a pattern on Willow's back. Willow sighed as she felt her hand move in several swift motions. This was a game they had come up with when they first started dating. Tara would trace a picture on Willow's back, and Willow had to guess what it was using only two clues. It began to dissolve her downcast feelings almost at once. Tara just had this way with her. When Willow felt Tara's fingers stop moving, she guessed immediately. "A waffle."

"No..." Tara arched an eyebrow. Willow's answer, muffled by the pillows, sounded like "Fuffle" to her. _Not so sure what a Fuffle is..._ She swept a lock of stray golden brown hair behind her own ear. "Try again!"

Willow peeked her head out of the pillows, her hair hopelessly tangled, and said, "Clue." before sinking back into her fluffy fortress.

"Okay..." said Tara. "It is something soothing. Something you need right now."

"You." Willow said, her tone playful, but with a definite serious undertone.

"No!" Tara said, half-smiling. _Vixen._ "Well, kind of me. Technically having to do with me. Since I make it. So, I guess you were...half-right?" Tara wrinkled her eyebrows. "Hm. Try again anyway, before I confuse myself with logic."

She began to retrace her drawing onto Willow's back, fingers swirling along the material of her gray sweater in swift, featherlight motions.

Willow tried to concentrate, though Tara's gentle movements made it difficult. The girl still had the effect to make Willow feel all fuzzy inside from a simple touch. _Hmm..something soothing that Tara makes..._

"I've got it! Pancakes!" She poked her head out abruptly.

Tara cocked on eyebrow. "Really Willow? You consider pancakes to be soothing?"

Willow sat up on the bed, completely out of her pillow nest. Her face was home to a few pillow lines and her auburn hair fell over her eyes. Tara thought she had never looked cuter.

"I...well, I mean I guess! You know, funny shapes or rounds? It's like, you always say that. So it's soothing in the sense that it's consistent. You're consistent. A sense of normalcy. Plus the pancakes are good. So...I'm standing by pancakes." Willow smiled sheepishly.

Tara smiled back at her, looking deep into her eyes. She knew Willow had been crying. She could sense her pain a mile away. Their connection only intensified it, and Tara could tell Willow was hurting in particular today. She was going to try her best to soothe her pain. Seeing Willow in such despair tore at her heart. Buffy was a dear friend to all of them, but Tara knew that a best friend connection was special, and so she knew Willow was feeling hollow, yearning for Buffy to walk through that front door again. And though they both knew that couldn't happen, that didn't make the pain any less. Tara hoped she could at least help her get through it all easier, in any little way possible.

"That's also incorrect, Rosenberg. But you surprisingly had a great reason to back that answer up. Consider me impressed. I'll just say you win by default." Tara laughed. _Even after all this time, Willow ramble never ceases to amuse me._ She noticed her girlfriend staring at her expectantly.

"Oh! The answer. The answer is tea. I drew tea on your back."

Willow raised her eyebrows and stared at her, mouth open. "Are you serious Tara? You drew tea. There is no way. It felt like you were painting some kind of intricate masterpiece."

Tara held up her hands. "Hey, I had to make it look nice! You know, the mug, steam curling out of the cup, all that jazz. Besides, if you though it was so intricate, why would you guess Fuffles and pancakes?" She scooted towards Willow, a playful smile dancing across her lips. She pushed the red head down onto the bed, nuzzling up close beside her. Willow draped her arm comfortably around Tara's shoulder. She turned her head towards Tara, her features set in mock defensiveness.

"Fuffles? It was waffles for your information. And I'll have you know that both of those could get very intricate, what with the cross hatches in the little squares of the waffle and what not, and the syrupey goodness on the pancakes, and the..."

Tara put a finger to the red-head's lips. "Okay." She said in a near whisper, a playful crinkle playing at the sides of her eyes. "I see your points." She kissed Willow on the tip of her nose, her left hand gently cradling her cheek. She placed a small, light kiss on Willow's lips, before looking up and locking gazes with intense, green eyes. They stayed that way for awhile, each woman thinking about the other, completely at ease together. _She makes it all okay, _Willow thought, her eyes closed as she and Tara touched foreheads, their breathing in sync. _It'll be all right, as long as she's here. _

After a few long moments, Tara broke the silence, opening her eyes without moving away from Willow. "Hey," She said, the corner of her mouth curled into a smile.

"Hey," Willow said back, slowly opening her eyes. _It will get better. We'll get through this together. _

"How 'bout that cup of tea?" Tara said, slowly lifting herself from Willow's arms. She fixed Willow with a soft, inviting gaze, and made her way out of the room.

"How 'bout it." Willow said to herself, watching Tara walk away. She had eased Willow's grief so easily, just by being close to her. _No matter how lost I get, she always finds me_. _How does she do that? _Willow, now feeling a bit playful, rose from the bed, meeting Tara in the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around her, and leaned in close. _My sweet, beautiful Tara. _Tara could feel Willow's breath tickle her ear as she whispered,

"Think I could get a side of Fuffles with that tea?"

The End

_This is my very first fanfic ever and I would really appreciate any comments and criticisms, no matter how harsh! I know I need improvement and I need you to tell me how! How is my characterization, etc. I'd like to do a W&T behind the scenes for in between season 5 and 6 and beginning of six, this short is sort of experimental. Let me know what you think!_


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